INCIDENT AT HOTEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20243, 1 May 1929, Page 17

INCIDENT AT HOTEL.

" A DRUNKEN FREAK."

BREAKING CHARGE DISMISSED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COKRESPONDENT. J WAIHI, Tuesday. That it would be necessary for the police to prove guilty intent if the case were to be sent to a jury, was the reason advanced by counsel, Mr. J. B. Beeche, when he asked for the dismissal of tho information against Charles Henry Bennie, married, aged 28, who appeared on remand in the Waihi Magistrate's Court to-day charged with having broken and entered the storeroom of the Rob Roy Hotel with intent to commit a crime. Raymond Albert Hales, single, aged 23, was similarly charged.

Bonnie's ' Case was taken first, and the evidence showed that he had taken a considerable quantity of drink in the afternoon of tho alleged offence. Bennie himself stated that lie had recollection of very few happenings. Ho remembered hazily having forced the door of the storeroom.

A taxi-driver said he had been asked by Hales, the other accused, to drive around to the side of the hotel to take a man home.

Hales said he had p.ot tho car because he saw Bennie in an intoxicated condition on (he footpath, When he returned with the taxi ho could not find Bennie, and it was some minutes before he emerged from the yard of the hotel. In dismissing the case the Bench said tlie police were quite justified in having taken action, but it did not. seem that there was strong enough evidence (o place before a jury. Tho whole tiling seemed more of a drunken freak.

On the application of Sergeant D. L Calwcll tho case against Hales was withdrawn.

Bonnie pleaded guilty to a charge of having wilfully damaged a lock belonging lo the licensee of the hotel and was fined ss. Tie consented to thu issuing of a prohibition order against himself.